Public sector pay policy: technical guide - April 2025

3. Sponsor Team Role and Responsibilities

Sponsor Team role

3.1 Sponsor Teams have a key role to play in promoting the Scottish Government’s Pay Policy on public sector pay in making sure their public body is aware of what is required of them, and they deliver on those requirements as set out in the Pay Policy.

3.2 Sponsor Teams provide a crucial link between public bodies and the Scottish Government. Their role includes:

• making sure staff and members of their public body know what Ministers expect of them
• monitoring whether performance of their public body meets Ministers’ policies and priorities and taking action in the event of any shortcomings
• making sure the circumstances and concerns of their public body are understood within the Scottish Government

3.3 In relation to the Public Sector Pay Policy, this means the Sponsor Team has the responsibility to raise the circumstances and concerns of their public body with the Public Sector Pay team, the Remuneration Group and Ministers.

Before a public body submits any pay proposals

3.4 Before a public body submits any pay proposals, the Sponsor Team must

• familiarise themselves with the Public Sector Pay Policy and what is expected of their public body
• make sure they know when their public body’s proposals are due to be submitted
• monitor the progress their public body is making in developing its pay proposals and work with them to make sure they are on target to submit proposals as scheduled
• inform the Public Sector Pay team at the earliest opportunity if the proposals will not be submitted as scheduled

After a public body submits pay proposals

3.5 Once the public body submits its proposals, this stage is usually referred to as the assessment period. At this point the Sponsor Team is responsible for:

• taking the lead in any correspondence with their public body and ensure that the Public Sector Pay team is copied in
• arranging and leading any meetings required between Sponsor Teams, public bodies and the Public Sector Pay team
• checking the existing and the projected paybill costs and staffing numbers are consistent with the budget allocations and their knowledge of the public body. Any queries should be raised with the public body at the earliest opportunity, copied to the Public Sector Pay team
• considering the affordability and sustainability of the proposals including any proposed savings - particularly those resulting from changes in staffing or terms and conditions - given their knowledge of the public body and its current and future budget and workload
• seeking the views of their Finance Business Partner. The Sponsor Team should send a copy of the initial assessment of the pay proposals to their Finance Business Partner so they are aware of any Pay Policy issues
• ensuring that the public body has considered their obligations under equalities legislation
• maintaining awareness of the progress of the remit, the queries that have been raised and any significant issues with the proposals
• engaging Senior Officials as early as possible in the process particularly if there are issues.

3.6 If there are outstanding issues on any proposals after 4 weeks from the initial submission, the Sponsor Team should escalate the proposals to their Senior Officials.

3.7 Once the Public Sector Pay team sign‑off the proposals they will give them a final rating. They will forward the rating to the Sponsor Team for their consideration alongside the Finance Business Partner (staff remits). It will then be the Sponsor Team’s responsibility to put the proposals forward for formal approval from Senior Officials or to Remuneration Group or Ministers as appropriate. The Sponsor Team will be responsible for keeping the public body up to date with their remit progress, and formal notification of the outcome of the assessment.

Preparing a submission seeking approval

3.8 In preparing the submission, the Sponsor Team should ensure they:

• set out the rationale for the recommendation
• include, where relevant, the detail of any sponsorship issues that the approvers require to be aware of as part of their consideration
• include the views of their Finance Business Partner and the Public Sector Pay team and provide sufficient time for their contributions.

3.9 If the proposals require to be approved by Remuneration Group or Ministers:

• the Public Sector Pay team will provide a template for the submission. The Public Sector Pay team will be able to provide advice on the information that Remuneration Group will expect to be included in the submission to enable them to give due consideration of the proposals
• the Sponsor Team should make sure they meet the Remuneration Group deadlines including providing sufficient time to consult the Public Sector Pay team on the draft. Draft papers must be submitted to Public Sector Pay team no later than 10 days before the relevant Remuneration Group meeting. More info can be found on the Remuneration Group process via the Public Sector Pay Web Pages link: Remuneration Group
• proposals should normally be submitted from the Portfolio Director. Where, this is not the case the views of the Portfolio Director should be included.

3.10 Sponsor Teams must ensure the final version of the submission is with the Remuneration Group Secretariat in line with timings on the Remuneration Group webpage. Failure to meet these deadlines will result in delays to the proposals being considered.

Notifying Ministers of the approval

3.11 If the public body’s remit proposals have been approved at either Senior Official level or by the Remuneration Group and the proposals are straightforward, it is not necessary to notify the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance. It is a matter for the Sponsor Team to decide whether they require to notify their own Cabinet Secretary and/or Portfolio Minister.

Action if there are unresolved queries at the end of the assessment period

3.12 If, at the end of the four week assessment period, there are still unresolved queries or the staff remit is rated High risk, the Public Sector Pay team will escalate proposals to the Portfolio Director and the Director of Public Spending.

3.13 If the public body’s pay proposals have been rated High risk, the pay remit cannot be approved under any circumstances and the public body will be required to bring their proposals in line with the Pay Policy before they can be put forward for approval.

After pay proposals have been approved

3.14 The Sponsor Team should notify the public body of the outcome of the assessment of their staff pay remit.

3.15 The Sponsor Team should notify the appropriate personnel in their public body of all decisions for the Chief Executives and/or Board Members taking account of the sensitivities with handling personal data (see paragraphs 2.42 to 2.44).

3.16 All public bodies are expected to provide settlement information within one month of implementing the staff pay award. It is the Sponsor Team’s responsibility to make sure their public body is aware of the requirement to submit settlement information to the Public Sector Pay team in line with the Pay Policy requirements. The Public Sector Pay team will engage with Sponsor Teams where there are any delays in submitting settlement information.

3.17 It is also the Sponsor Team’s responsibility to make sure the public body makes progress on any requirements or conditions imposed by Senior Officials, the Remuneration Group or Ministers (for example a review of its pay and grading structure) and to keep the Public Sector Pay team, the Remuneration Group and Ministers informed as appropriate.

Role of the Sponsor Team with regards to Chairs, Board Members, and other Ministerial Appointments

3.18 When a new public body or Ministerial Appointment is being considered, or change to an existing Daily Fee, the Sponsor Team or the appointee’s “owning” Directorate must:

• engage with the Public Sector Pay team at the earliest opportunity, before any discussion of Daily Fees with wider audiences
• supply information about the public body or role of the Ministerial Appointment to the Public Sector Pay team to allow an appropriate Tier in the Daily Fee Framework to be assigned
• prepare a submission with detailed evidence seeking approval if a Daily Fee out with the assigned Tier from the Framework is needed.

3.19 When an annual uplift for Chairs, Board Members or Ministerial Appointees is proposed the Sponsor Team must:

• engage with the Public Sector Pay team to ensure that proposals are within the Pay Policy
• assess uplift proposals for any affordability issues
• include the Public Sector Pay team in any confirmation of proposed uplifts.